Straw Bale Gardens August 2016 Photo Update

I know a few of you have asked about the straw bale gardens Mike and I did this year.  I thought I'd share some photos of what they looked like in August. 

You can just barely see the straw bales under all this beautiful lush growth.  There is amaranth, purple majesty millet and tomatoes in this row.

This is from the other end.  The red amaranth is in the compost from the chicken coop and I love it so I let it seed where it wants to grow and I leave it alone. 

Straw Bale Gardens July 2016 Photo Update

The bales are almost completely covered by plants now.  We water them everyday.

No rain in July  at all.  Not even the weeds grow.

Corn growing in straw.

better view of the side of the straw bales.

Ruth Stout method of sticking a potatoe on top of the ground and covering it with straw.  This is on top of straw and growing like mad!

Doing a little sewing gypsy style

Sewing Day...

On this beautifully drizzly day, I sit in my sewing room, getting ready for the fashion show at the Blue Lady on the 26th, and I'm reminded and inspired by thoughts of my grandmother.  I am surrounded by fabric, some of which was handed down from her.  Just a few quilting pieces and old yarns.

I can still remember her sewing room.  A small room off the kitchen in the back of her old farmhouse.  I remember how it smelled, and to this day I can be at an estate sale at an old house and a smell will trigger memories of my grandmother and her things. 

I have her and my mother to thank for this curse of creativity that has made it intolerable for me to have a 9-5 real job.  It's not in my DNA to sit in an office. 
But here I sit.  (My blog is usually handwritten on real honest to goodness paper before I type it into my laptop)  We're getting a summer's worth of rain, finally, all in a span of 4 days, but I love it.  Rain inspires me, comforts me and makes me reminisce.  I always have Ruby and Pearl, the dogs and usually 2 or more cats in this room with me while I sew.  Another comfort.  An old stuffed chair sits in the corner with a chenille cover, but it's empty because the kitties prefer to snuggle in a box of old lace.  Just like me. 

Baby Morgan sitting in the chenille chair because a picture of a chair just isn't that interesting.

All of it is inspiration.  It all starts in this room filled with old tins full of buttons lining the walls.  Half finished projects, old crates stuffed full of fabric on shelves.  Tons of old rag dolls I've made that I put too much love into to be able to part with and sell.  And the fabric.  Old chenille, bark cloth, crocheted lace, embroidery.  I love it all.  This is the place to create the "one of a kind".  Never believe anyone who says she designs clothing, but doesn't even sew.  Jab.
So I will create today in the rain with a cup of tea, the buzz of the sewing machine, and memories of my gramma, Emma Zoa Morgan.  So grateful.  I mean sew grateful.  :)